Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Patriots: Matt Cassel is aware of his critics. They say the New England Patriots are finished if Tom Brady misses games and he has to take over for a long period. They look at his preseason statistics and reach the same conclusion. Fans pile on him on talk radio. TV commentators take their shots. Tuesday, Cassel stood tall at his locker. Brady, nursing a foot injury and yet to play in an exhibition game, was nowhere in sight. The backup who has thrown just 72 passes in three NFL seasons and four college seasons, said the criticism motivates him. “It always fires you up,” he said. “You go out there and you want to prove people wrong and get better.” He has quite a way to go, although he may be farther along than the Cassel-bashers think. “We have confidence in Cass,” wide receiver Jabar Gaffney said. “He’s a smart quarterback and we believe if he’s out there that he can make the right reads and do what Tom does out there.” Matching the reigning NFL MVP is asking too much, but Cassel has played better than his statistics in the first two exhibition games suggest. In nine possessions, he completed 7-of-14 passes for 68 yards and one interception. But he hasn’t been playing with all the regular starters and the game plan isn’t specifically designed to protect him from the strength of the defense.
Vikings: Wide receiver Bernard Berrian has a sore toe on his right foot that has limited him in practice for the past week. The injury kept him out of Saturday’s exhibition game at Baltimore. After Tuesday’s practice, Berrian said his condition is “a day to day thing” and that he’s not sure whether he’ll play Saturday against Pittsburgh. “We’re trying to wait and see and make sure everything’s right before we get to the season,” said Berrian, who signed a six-year contract with $16 million guaranteed to be Minnesota’s top receiver after four years with Chicago.
Raiders: Cornerback DeAngelo Hall has ligament damage in his right hand and may have to wear a protective cast for the rest of the preseason. “I talked to my doctor and he said I tore some ligaments or something,” Hall said as he walked off the practice field Tuesday. “I don’t know. We’ll see how it goes.” Hall was injured in training camp before the preseason started and initially was uncertain how badly his hand was hurt. He underwent an MRI and X-rays which showed no break, but the Raiders had the veteran cornerback seek a second opinion. When the pain in his hand continued, Hall sought out his own doctor for advice. “It’s something where he still has to wear a cast because of a bruise,” Oakland coach Lane Kiffin said. “We think by the time we get to the [season] opener, that it will be a non-issue.”
Roster moves: Joe Horn was released by the Falcons after the team couldn’t trade the veteran receiver. The Falcons will receive no return on the guaranteed $2.5 million salary in 2008 for the 36-year-old Horn. The Falcons also placed linebacker Isaac Brown, an undrafted rookie free agent from Central Michigan, on the waived/injured list. … The Patriots released 13-year veteran tight end Marcus Pollard. They also signed rookie tight end Tyson DeVree, who joins Benjamin Watson, David Thomas and Stephen Spach at that position. … The Titans waived punter Josh Miller and replaced him on the roster by signing defensive back Tuff Harris.
Associated Press